Share review of Cross Keys Practice

Cross Keys Practice 2017-04-19 Person 4 5 0

Having been a patient of the practice for many years I cannot speak too highly of it. However I have been induced to contribute to this website by signs about it in the Princes Risborough surgery and by a rather difficult experience on a fairly minor but nevertheless irritating matter, hence giving only three stars to ease of getting an appointment. I wear hearing aids. My ears get clogged with wax from time to time. The Audiology Dept. at Stoke Mandeville advised recently that this problem had recurred. The surgery advised that I should not make an appointment until after I had treated the wax with a softener for two weeks. I was unable to find a treatment compatible with hearing aids which could be used for more than a week. At an appointment with the nurse practitioner she agreed wax needed to be removed and advised that I would need to make a further appointment for the procedure. Reception first offered an appointment 10 days later when as it happened I had booked to be away on holiday. The earliest alternative date was four weeks hence. I accepted it but cancelled after deciding that my wife and I could not endure me being pretty much totally deaf for a month. I went private. The wax was removed the same day as I saw the nurse practitioner. Whilst I understand that it is necessary to soften the wax before asking the surgery to remove it I do not understand (perhaps it was briefly explained to me but I did not hear it being so deaf) why the nurse practitioner could not have carried out the procedure there and then as has happened on previous occasions. After all it would only have taken a matter of minutes in addition to the two minutes she spent looking into each ear. As it is I then took up the Receptionist's time getting a further appointment and then eventually would have taken up another appointment for the removal procedure. This does not seem to be good time management. Perhaps the Practice can consider whether anything can be done about it. I do realise that surgeries are ferociously busy places and staff are under great pressure. At the outset I said that this Practice has always given me very good treatment. They are very good at returning phone calls quickly. On one occasion Dr Neale thought I might be having a stroke and said I should go straight to A & E. His diagnosis was correct and his prompt action almost certainly saved me from much more serious consequences. On another occasion Dr Babajee got me admitted to the cardiac unit very promptly as an emergency. (Incidentally Wycombe Hospital gave me excellent treatment on both occasions). I have much to be grateful for and do not want to be thought a moaning minnie. It is just that I think appointments for non-urgent matters could be better managed.